One after another, the soldiers of the Great Xuan laid down their weapons and surrendered.

Ning Chen galloped all the way through the camp, shouting as he went.

Tantai Qingyue watched Ning Chen out of the corner of her eye, something stirring in her gaze.

Who would have thought the guy could do more than write poems and fight battles... He had a real knack for rousing people, too.

"All of you, listen. Lay down... cough, cough, cough..."

Ning Chen had shouted his throat dry. A gulp of cold air went down the wrong way, and he broke into a violent coughing fit.

Fuck... He should have brought Feng Qizheng. The guy was born with a big mouth. By himself he was worth twenty criers.

Under her face veil, the corners of Tantai Qingyue's lips curved up a little. She was enjoying this.

"You keep shouting!"

Ning Chen told the few dozen Ning'an Army men behind him.

Tantai Qingyue said softly, "You really are bold, charging into their camp with so few men. Suppose they rush you and hack you into mincemeat?"

Ning Chen glanced at her and smiled. "Isn't that what I have you for?"

Tantai Qingyue smiled faintly. "However good I am, I cannot hold off tens of thousands of troops."

Ning Chen shrugged. "Who cares... As long as I've got you with me, it's fine. In life we can't share a bed, but sharing a grave in death would be nice too."

Tantai Qingyue gave a cold snort. "I may not be able to hold off tens of thousands of troops, but if I want to leave, they cannot stop me."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. "Then I'd better stay alive... I'd rather share a bed with you in life than a grave in death."

Tantai Qingyue scoffed. "If I killed you right now with one stroke of my sword, do you think Chai Jiayu would thank me?"

Ning Chen nodded with certainty. "Of course he would. He'd treat you like the parent who gave him a second life... But my wife and the Ning'an…